


Countdown

by ArsenicHazard



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Gen, Imminent Death, Law School, Mention of Other Survey Corps Characters, Talk about death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:55:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22625170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArsenicHazard/pseuds/ArsenicHazard
Summary: Everyone's wrist has a timer on when they are predicted to die. Seems simple enough, right?(Originally written for Inktober 2016)
Kudos: 4





	Countdown

During the third year of Law school, Levi had come across a study group, deciding to join in order to boost his grades a bit more. Showing up at the park in the campus after his class, he noticed the group of three other students at the picnic table. Slowly approaching, he stood tall (despite his height), clearing his throat. The others turned to look at him, the one with bright chestnut hair giving a big grin, adjusting their glasses.

“Hi.” He said calmly, leaning back slightly to look less nervous. He, frankly, hated social interaction. Everyone around him was incredibly smart, and he was just here for his good stupid intentions. “I’m Levi. Are you guys the study group?”

The tall blonde student, whose hair was buzzed underneath like his own (thought he daresay the other could pull it off better), smiled at him warmly. “That we are. Come have a seat. There are a few other members that couldn’t make it, but we are here. I’m Erwin.” He extended a hand, Levi hesitating but shaking it. “This,” he pointed to the chestnut haired one, “is Hanji, and this,” he directed his gaze to the shorter strawberry blonde-haired girl sitting next to Hanji, “is Petra.”

They all waved, seeming like a happy type of group. Levi didn’t really think he would work well in optimistic groups, or any group for that matter, but you don’t know until you try, right? Sitting across from Petra, pulling out his books, he smiled fondly at her. He found out not long after that they all had the same class and assignments, just different professors.

Levi didn’t talk much that first meeting. He had noticed that Petra was quiet like him but friendly, Erwin was calm and definitely the leader, and Hanji was… well, Hanji was obnoxious, but funny.

Nearing the end of their session, Levi moved to put his books away, caught by surprise as Hanji spoke up.

“What’s your clock say?” They asked.

“- Pardon?”

“Your clock.” They said again, tapping the clock that was engraved into their own skin. Levi narrowed his eyes as Erwin cleared the air, adding some context for the shorter man.

“You don’t have to show us, I know some people keep it secretive, but we are always fascinated to see how much time we each have left, and Hanji likes trying to dream up scenarios to all of our deaths.”

“Erwin’s probably going to die very heroically. You know, he’s got that hero look about him.” Hanji said with a proud grin.

“And so- you want to see… mine?” Levi concluded, raising an eyebrow, his hand finding his sleeve.

The student nodded eagerly, bouncing on the balls of their feet as they peered over to Levi’s wrist.

“Why don’t we all show ours, just so that you don’t feel excluded.” Petra interrupted, looking at the others. They nodded, figuring that was reasonable. Erwin held out his wrist, showing the ticking clock on his skin. 76:210:02:34:57. Seventy six years left.

Hanji was next, holding out their wrist to show fifty nine years. 59:103:23:40:00.

Petra went after them, revealing that she was going to have the longest life. 80:360:15:07:20. She smiled at him, nodding in encouragement.

Levi felt even more nervous now, but they had held up their end of the deal, so it was his turn. Pulling up his sleeve, he set his wrist down on the table, showing his clock. 10:042:08:54:09.

The group went silent. The rest of them had nothing to fear with such long, comfortable lives. They had figured that Levi’s would be the same and that talking about their far away deaths was fine. Levi only had ten years left, however, and it caught all of them off guard.

“Oh…” Hanji whispered. Even they had sobered significantly, looking at the others in a silent state of shock.

“It’s fine.” Levi said calmly. He had gotten used to the looks and reactions to his countdown, they were all the same. He had made peace with his life, and he was going to spend every minute of it as the best lawyer he could possibly be. 

The group dispersed not long after, each heading back to their respective homes.

**.** **.** **.**

The group had met up several times over the course of the semester. They never talked about Levi’s clock again, but they grew to be friends. Levi met Erd, Mike, Moblit and Oluo a few times, but they rarely matched schedules, so he didn’t work with them too much.

They all knew each other’s addresses by now, but it still came as a surprise when Hanji showed up at his door, the entire group with them.

“Levi!” They called, knocking on the front door. Levi hadn’t had classes that day, so he was still in his pyjamas when the other dragged him outside. 

“What?” He asked, aggravated. Hanji was always known for never giving context to anything.

Hanji grabbed his wrist, tugging up his sleeve. Their grip was resolute, not letting Levi go. There, the numbers on his wrist had drastically shifted. It had only been about half a year, and yet now, it read: 00:000:00:15:13.

Panicking, Levi recoiled his wrist. The rest of the group extended their wrists, showing they were all counting down at the same time.

“Holy fuck.” The smaller man whispered, ushering them all inside. With fifteen minutes left, Levi was apparently the host to their doom. Making everyone a tea and sitting they began discussing what could it possibly be.

“The apocalypse!” Hanji exclaimed, grinning like a mad scientist.

“What if it’s a plague?” Erwin added, sipping his tea. Levi sighed softly, shaking his head. 

“Does it really matter? We are all going to die anyway.”

Petra looked utterly horrified. As the one who would have lived the longest, the shorter male figured she had the most to lose out of them all. Death had never really been a taboo subject in their society since they had their death known since the time they were born, and Levi was no exception. He was not worried about dying, but seeing Petra like that made him want to comfort her.

He moved closer, hesitantly putting an arm around her. “Whatever it is, we will die with each other, right? We will be fine.”

The group nodded and they sat there for some time in silence before Hanji spoke again. “But seriously, what if it’s a zombie apocalypse?”

Everyone laughed, enjoying their company. They fell back into their joking routines, chattering away, all while keeping an eye on the clock. Things got quieter as they reached the last minute, each person seeming to move a bit closer to one another.

00:000:00:00:20

“Guys,” Erwin spoke up now, taking his last sort of speech as a leader. How heroic, Levi thought, smiling internally. Hanji really could predict how they died. “I want you all to know it has been a great pleasure to work with you and to die with you.”

00:000:00:00:10

Levi spoke this time. “I wasn’t really expected to live long anyways, but I just wanted to say that-” Oh god, he can’t get choked up now, “that you have all made my short time here so much better.”

00:000:00:00:05

“Thank you guys, really.” 

The group murmured in response, everyone’s eyes trained on each other, not daring to look at the seconds counting down.

00:000:00:00:03

“I will see you all in the next life.”

00:000:00:00:02

00:000:00:00:01

00:000:00:00:00


End file.
